Process of manufacture of fuel-blocks.



' subject of the GermanEmperor, and re- ERNST TRAINER, 0F

DRESDEN, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR '10 GEWERKSCHAFT PIONIER.

OF WALSUM-ON-THE-BHINE, GERMANY.

PROCESS OF MANUFACTURE OF FUEL-BLOCKS.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNST TRAINER, a

siding at A. Falkenstrasse 8, Dresden, Germany, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in the Process of Manufacture ofFuel-Blocks, of which the following is a specification.

In the manufacture offuel blocks with the aid of water-soluble bindingagents, various processes have been proposed for rendering such fuelblocks waterproof, both of which processes havev for their object toalter the water-soluble binding agent in the fuel block in such a mannerthat the said binding agent loses its solubility. One of the saidprocesses consists in subjecting the mixture of binding agent and fueleither in the press or at a subsequent stage, or the finished blocks, toa high temperature; and. the desired result is effected no doubt by thetotal or partial carbonization ofthe binding agent. The said processrequires a tempera ture of about 300 degrees centigradewhich in manycases is liable to produce a partial decomposition, of the fuel itself.For instance, very fat coals give off gases at the temperature statedwhich tend to diminish the value of the fuel blocks. Another processreferred to above, attempts to render the water soluble binding agentinsoluble by chemical means, and has been proposed only 1n connect1o-nwith the production of fuel blocks by means of the waste lye from themanufacture of sulfite-cellulose. According to that process the rawwaste lye is first mixed with as much sulfuric acid as will raise thegravity of the mixture one degree. and then the mixture is concentratedand used inmaking the fuel blocks. The fuel blocks when made, aresubjected to the action of hot vapors of hydrochloric acid.

This process is however attended by some drawbacks from a practical andeconomical oint of view. First, the quantity of suluric acid which mustbe added to the raw lye, is somewhat considerable, and the so highlyacidified lye can be concentrated only in apparatus of s ecialconstruction and therefore Very cost y.

Now the resent invention has for its object to provlde an im rovedprocess for the more economical and simple manufacture of fuel blocks bymeans of the waste-lye of Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 25, 1910.

Application filed June 3, 1910; Serial No. 564,782.

the sulfite-cellulose process, without heating the materials to such ahigh temperature as could tend to decompose fuel containing manyvolatile constituents, and also without usin several acids and wherebythe resulting uel blocks are more weather proof than such as areproduced solely with the lye Without special after treatment.

The improved process according to the present invention consists inbinding the fuel together by waste lye obtained from the sulfitecellulose process and completely gelatinized by being heated with asubstance having an acid reaction, and finally drying the block byheat.' In order to accelerate the action of the substance having an acld.reaction, a small percentage of aldehyde may be added thereto. The fuelblocks thus produced are sufficiently weather-proof to stand handlingand transport. They burn with surprisingly little smoke.

The following example is given as one way of carrying out thisinvention. \Vaste lye of the sulfite-celluloseprocess which has beenconcentrated by other suitable means, is mixed with a small percentage,for instance, 10 to 15 per cent. of sulfurlc acid, and this mixture isthen heated, whereby soon a kind of gelatinization of the lye isproduced. In this form, the binding agent is carefully mixed with thefuel, and the mixture is then molded into blocks in the ordinary way.

Other acids for instance, hydrochloric acid,-carbolic acid, or chromicacid, may be used instead of sulfuric acid. Acid salts,

for instance, alums, sulfates, .or chromates,

may be similarly used.

It is not necessary that the mass shall have a uniform shape. Themixture may equally be well passed through a press, sumlar to claycutting machines, and be further treated in shapeless lumps. Or the massmay be allowed to fall directly from a mixing or kneading machine 1nirregularly large and'small lumps of any shape. The subsequent treatmentof the mixed product consists in heating it to a temperature which neednot exceed, say 200 degrees centigrade, but must be sufficient to drythe mass thoroughly.

For the purpose of acceleratin the process, or for facilitating the use0 acids and salts which would act too slowly by themlyes of thesulfite-cellulose process.

selves it is advisable to add to the mass a small percentage of aldehydepreferably formaldehyde.

If desired the usual mixture of fuel and waste lye may be formed intoblocks in the ordinary way, and then either the acid alone or the acidand aldehyde together, may be caused to act upon such blocks during thesubsequent heating operation. In the latter case it is advisable tooperate in a vacuum, and then after the action has ceased, to subjectthe blocks to an exhausting operation for the two-fold purpose offreeing them from the excess of reagents, and of recovering the latterfor re-use. Instead of acids it is also possible to employ acidcontaining residuals, for instance, the residuals of oilrefineries, orsalts having an acid action, or other compounds of acid nature whichareadapted by the addition of aldehydes to produce a gelatinization of'theWaste lyes.

The improved process may be employed for binding fuels, ores, stones,bricks, etc., and the shaping of the blocks is effected under loWpressure up to very high pressure according to the nature of thematerial in each case.

It is known that precipitation can be produced by adding acids or saltsto the waste It has also been proposed to use gelatin for the purpose ofproducing a suitable binding agent. In all those cases however it hasnot been known that the Waste lye could be completely gelatinized bytreatment with acids or other suitable compounds.

In the previous treatments of the waste lye, either other adhesives havealso been used, or only a part of the organic constituents of the wastelye has entered the reaction. Now in the improved process, the

entire mass becomes gelatinized. Further, the addition of aldeh dc tothe concentrated waste lye of the sultite cellulose process, is known,but the combination of the addition of aldehyde with the main process isnovel. The effects of. the aldehyde and the acid substance are notmerely cumulative, but are supplementary, that is to say, the aldehydeseems to havean aflinity for and to effect the gelatinization orcoagulation of certain of the group of complex organic compounds whichvare found in cellulose lye, and the acid substance to have a similarcoagulating effect upon others of that group.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. A process for the manufacture ofblocks,rwhich consists in adding to the concentrated Waste lye from thesulfite-cellulose process, an aldehyde and a substance having an acidreaction, heating the mixture to gelatinization of the lye, and addingthe mass to the block material and then drying the product thoroughly byheat as set forth.

2. A process for the manufacture of fuel blocks, which consists inadding to the concentrated waste lye from the sulfite cellulose processan aldehyde and a substance having an acid reaction, heating the mixtureto gelatinization of the lye, and adding the mass to the fuel, and thendrying the product thoroughly by heat, as set forth.

Dated this 26 day of May, 1910.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

V ERNST TRAINER. Witnesses:

PAUL ARRAS, CLARE SIMON.

